Rising Darkness and Falling Stars
by DarkSolstice
Summary: Surrounded by two different prophecies, six cats must make their way to the edge of the mountains and back before the Dark Forest and StarClan wage war, a war that may destroy the clans forever. Set after Dragon and Phoenix reverted to four. R&R please
1. Prologue

**this is set after dragonclan and phoenixclan have reverted back into four clans. i know i didnt finish my other story, but i wanted to do this anyway**

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Prologue

All was silent. Two cats padded along the lifeless brush, heads bent low together to talk. The darkness around them signified their demise.

"The air here seems to be filled with tension all of a sudden," the tom noted.

"Unusually so Earthstar," the she-cat agreed.

"Wolfstar," Earthstar piped up, "you don't think StarClan are trying to cross the borders, do you?"

Wolfstar looked around and sniffed the air. "Maybe so. Let's continue our search regardless. If StarClan have any business with us they'll come to us eventually."

Earthstar nodded and followed the she-cat farther into the shadows. The air began to crackle with tension the farther into the Dark Forest they crept. A sudden light penetrated the shadows and lit up the areas. The two leaders stopped and looked back.

"StarClan cats!" Wolfstar yowled. She launched herself at the nearest starry cat. She pinned it down and yowled in its ear, "StarClan are not welcome here Moonstar!"

Earthstar leapt at the other cat. He pinned it down by its shoulders. "There had better be a good reason for this Sunstar!"

Moonstar struggled to free herself. "There is! Now let us up!"

Wolfstar hesitated, the released her hold on the other leader. She nodded to Earthstarto do the same. "What do you have to say?"

Moonstar shook her fur out and faced the opposing leaders. "There is a prophecy involving WolfClan and EarthClan cats, but since DragonClan has cut off that kind of contact with StarClan we can not pass on the message."

Earthstar narrowed his eyes. "Who are we passing this on to, and what is the message?"

In one voice, the StarClan cats said, "Storms will come, battles will rage, disaster will strike. Tiger, Lion, and Leopard will meet with falling stars."

"You are to pass this on to Toadfoot and Stonestream of Wolf, and Stormcloud of Earth," Sunstar continued.

"We shall expect no more visits from StarClan cats here," Wolfstar growled. "Now leave the Dark Forest at once!"

Moonstar and Sunstar exchanged infuriated glances but did as they were told. They turned their backs and stalked off into the light.

Wolfstar snorted. "Come now Earthstar, we have a message to deliver."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

In the dead of night two cats stalked through the undergrowth with precise precaution, each unaware of the others presence. The moon hung low in the sky, ignoring the clouds that drifted casually by. The bushes rustled and parted to reveal a pale red tabby tom, senses alert for any prey that might be near. His head snapped up at the sudden hiss in the brush opposite him. He dropped into the hunters crouch and leapt into the brush, landing squarely on another cats back. The two wrestled into a small clearing and jumped back to face each other.

"Stonestream!" the intruder exclaimed.

Stonestream let his fur lay flat as he realized it was only a clanmate of his. "Toadfoot! What are you doing here in my dream?"

"I can ask you the same thing," the gray tom said.

They looked around the clearing. It was empty except for them.

"Do you think this is some kind of MoonClan trick?" Stonestream growled, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

Toadfoot shook his head. "They can only enter our dreams, not put us together in one. No, this has to be a message of some sort from StarClan."

"Not from StarClan, my dear warriors," a voice laughed from the shadows, "but from someplace far more powerful."

They looked around as the ground began to shake. The shadow of a large tree emerged from the ground in the middle of the clearing, first as a shadow then taking the form of an actual tree. On the highest branch red eyes shone in the moonlight. The shadowy figure of a cat appeared to own them. The darkness dimmed to reveal the all to familiar form of Wolfstar.

"These are not StarClan hunting grounds," the former WolfClan leader said. "This is the Dark Forest. StarClan do not interfere with my clan anymore."

"Then you have a message for us?" Stonestream asked excitedly.

She nodded and sat straight, obviously waiting for something. A second branch grew from the tree on the side of hers, another shadowy figure taking shape. Yellow eyes matched up to the small brown and tan figure of Earthstar, the former leader of EarthClan. The bushes rustled again to reveal the EarthClan warrior Stormcloud. The gray tom seemed confused about his surroundings.

"Stormcloud," Earthstar called. "Take your place here."

Stormcloud looked up at his former leader, and seeing the two together his lips curved into a smile. He padded over and sat next to the two toms. "You have a message for us?"

Wolfstar nodded. "There Is a prophecy that the three of you are a part of. StarClan themselves had the nerve to cross these borders and speak of this to us. So here it is:"

The two leaders spoke with one voice. "Storms will come, battles will rage, disaster will strike. Tiger, Lion, and Leopard will meet with falling stars."

The three looked at each other in astonishment. When they turned to look up into the tree their leaders had gone.

"Go with the shadows, young warriors," came the raspy voice of Wolfstar.

"We will guide you," Earthstar murmured in their ears.

"On the full moon, you shall all meet on the Gathering Island," Wolfstar whispered.

"Go with the shadows," they whispered together, before their presences faded altogether.

The three cats stood there for a moment, before the scenery faded to a dark forest path. One by one they padded along it, feeling the fur of the dead leaders brush against theirs.

_Go with the shadows. . . _

The sudden howl of a wolf aroused the WolfClan warriors Toadfoot and Stonestream from their sleep. The nests were lightly lit from the crack in the den wall. They looked around at each other. Their eyes met and they both stood, carefully tiptoeing into the clearing. They sat side by side and looked up t the moon.

"The moon's almost full," Toadfoot commented.

Stonestream nodded. "Who else do you think could be a part of this? Besides us of course, and Stormcloud."

"I'm not sure," Toadfoot replied. "But whoever else is in this with us they must be prepared for anything."

Stonestream nodded.

_Go with the shadows. . . _


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 3**

The undergrowth rustled loudly as three cats made their way through the forest. The sun had just risen high above the tree tops as the young warriors made their way to the Gathering Island. They leaped across the small stream and sat themselves in the middle of the clearing.

"Right," Stormcloud huffed. "We're here to discuss this prophecy passed to us by our former leaders. Who's first?"

Toadfoot waved his tail. "Last night, I thought I had been dreaming of hunting nice juicy, plump mice in the forest. Obviously I was wrong when I ran into Stonestream. From there of course we had met Wolfstar, Earthstar, and then of course you, Stormcloud. But the prophecy we have recieved... well it seems quite odd to me that StarClan themselves havent visited us."

"I agree," Stormcloud nodded. "But maybe they cant. You have to realize that DragonClan not only cut off contact from PhoenixClan, but StarClan as well, so it isn't odd that they havent come to us themselves."

Stonestream nodded. He flicked his tail and frowned. "So, now I'm just curious here, but do you think there is a way for us to communicate with Wolfstar and Earthstar?"

"Good question," Stormcloud commented.

"Maybe Jaggedstar would know," Toadfoot suggested.

"Should we ask her?" Stonestream asked, growing excited.

Stormcloud nodded. "Lead the way."

The WolfClan warriors stood and led their comrade through the forest. They followed their scent trails back to the WolfClan camp, picking their way carefully down the narrow path into the clearing. Heads turned, voices dropped, and small kits ran over.

"Hi Stormcloud!" One small kit peeped, bouncing up and down in joy.

The warrior flicked his tail over the kits' ear. The kit followed as they padded to the leaders den.

"Jaggedstar," Toadfoot called, "may we speak with you?"

"Enter," came the reply. "I enjoy having EarthClan warriors for my first meal."

Stormcloud looked amused. The kit bouncing around his paws sat down behind him with wide curious eyes. "Wait here young one."

"Ok!" she piped up, flicked her dark-furred ears.

The three warriors pushed their way through the lichen into the leaders den and looked around. On one side was Jaggedstar's nest, and on the other side was the small pool and crack in the roof.

"Well? Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to speak?" she asked, flicking her tail patiently.

Sitting down in a semi-circle around her, they looked at each other wondering how to begin.

"Well, we were just wondering," Stonestream began, "if you knew of a way we could contact our former leaders."

She blinked. "Former leaders as in Wolfstar and Earthstar?"

He nodded.

"Have you tried the MoonStream?" the she-cat asked.

Stormcloud tilted his head to one side. "Well, no. We were trying to think of a way to contact them without having to do that."

Jaggedstar nodded. "I see. Well, I don't know of any other options to this. You might as well try the MoonStream and hope for the Dark Forest." She smiled politely and led them out of her den. She turned to them and said, "You have my permission to go tonight. I'll send a warrior to the EarthClan camp to inform Mintstar of your whereabouts Stormcloud, so you dont worry about a thing."

He nodded.

She turned to walk away but turned back impatiently. "Oh I've almost forgotten the apprentice ceremony!" She scrabbled her way up to the HighRidge. "To all cats that can catch their own prey, heed my call and join me here beneath the HighRidge for a clan meeting!"

She waited as her cats looked up at her and settled themselves comfortably underneath her shadow. The small she-kit that had run up to Stormcloud stood in the middle of the clearing with two other small kits.

"Tigerpaw, your mentor will be Stonestream."

Surpirsed at hearing his name, Stonestream flicked his ears and took a step forward to touch noses with his apprentice.

"Lionpaw, your mentor will be Roseblood."

The tabby she-cat stood from her place beside Lightningtail and met her apprentice in the middle, leading her off to the side.

"And Rainclaw will be mentor to Leopardpaw."

A look of panic passed between Stormcloud and Toadfoot. An apprentice would ruin everything! How was Stonestream supposed to concentrate on the prophecy now?

"I shall expect you three to pass along everything you know to these young cats," Jaggedstar finished.

The new mentors nodded in understanding. As the the clan began to break away Stonestream walked up to the others and whispered, "I'll make sure not to do anything too strenuous," and led his apprentice through the thorn barrier.

Confusion replaced the panic on the EarthClan warriors face. "Is it me, or is it just a coincidence that the names of those three apprentices happen to be a part of the prophecy?"

Toadfoot tilted his head to one side and blinked.


End file.
